As often happens when designing a new recipe, we often get inspired by something, be it a color, a smell, or an image! It may also happen that someone before us created a recipe we liked, but we might have wanted to make some personal changes to make it more in line with our cooking style! That’s what happened to me today, with my source of inspiration being one of the recipes from a well-known blog, Al.ta Cucina. The dish in question was a first course with fresh trofie dressed with mushrooms, bacon, and saffron béchamel sauce. Delicious, indeed exquisite, except that for some time now, I tend to avoid meat and cold cuts in general, as well as not liking the taste of saffron. I apologize for this last statement; I realize I am one of the few fans of this precious spice, but unfortunately, I just don’t like it! So, trying to adapt this wonderful recipe to what is more congenial to me, I replaced the bacon with fresh broccoli, while swapping saffron for another equally compatible spice, which in my opinion is more intense and flavorful, like turmeric. The béchamel is also much lighter because it is made with part of the vegetable broth. And so, here is my vegetarian version, an unimaginable triumph of flavors to the benefit of health thanks to broccoli, the antitumor vegetable par excellence, and the benefits of a spice that really goes with everything.
“Vegetarian” recipes are free from meat and/or fish (N.B. they may include other foods based on animal proteins, such as eggs and cheese).
CURIOSITY: Did you know that one of the most surprising properties of turmeric is its antitumor effect? This precious plant, in fact, counteracts the onset of leukemia and no less than eight types of cancer affecting the colon, prostate, mouth, lungs, liver, skin, kidneys, and breasts. Turmeric also has exceptional antioxidant qualities, as it can slow down and therefore combat cellular aging. In addition to these benefits, turmeric has remarkable healing properties, so much so that applying turmeric rhizomes on wounds, burns, and insect bites speeds up the healing process. If that wasn’t enough, the consumption of turmeric improves the functioning of the stomach and intestine and moreover helps to combat cholesterol, as it facilitates the disposal of excess fats. This herb is also a real panacea for all those who have problems with digestion, flatulence, and bloating.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients:
- 1.1 lbs fresh trofie
- 10.5 oz champignon mushrooms
- 2 bunches broccoli
- 2.1 oz grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2.8 oz sweet provola cheese
- 1 fresh spring onion
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 0.9 oz butter
- to taste salt
- 1 cup milk
- 0.8 cups vegetable broth (the broccoli cooking broth will do just fine)
- 1 oz butter
- 1.8 oz flour
- 1.8 oz grated Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
- 1 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 sprig parsley
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste black pepper
Preparation:
Start by preparing the broccoli, cutting them into florets and washing them under running water (fig. 1).
Drain them well and blanch them for 8 minutes in slightly salted boiling water. Drain them using a slotted spoon, keeping the broth aside, and sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of oil, the fresh spring onion cut into rings, and a few tablespoons of cooking water (fig. 2).
Let it flavor for 5 minutes, then add the champignon mushrooms cleaned and sliced. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Adjust salt as needed (fig. 3).
Meanwhile, prepare your béchamel sauce by melting butter in a saucepan and incorporating the sifted flour. Gradually add the hot milk and vegetable broth, stirring rhythmically to avoid lumps, until you feel the sauce thickening (fig. 4).
Starting from the boil, count 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, incorporate the nutmeg, grated Parmesan, and finally the turmeric (fig. 5).
Stir with a wooden spoon, adding more hot broth if necessary, and pepper (fig. 6).
Heat the slightly salted water for the trofie and cook them al dente. Drain them using a slotted spoon, then season them with turmeric béchamel and finely chopped parsley (fig. 7).
Mix together, also adding the broccoli and mushrooms (fig. 8).
Once the pasta is seasoned, transfer everything into a lightly buttered baking dish (fig. 9).
Top with diced provola cheese and cover everything entirely with the rest of the grated Parmesan (fig. 10)
Bake for 25 minutes at 392°F. Let cool for a few minutes and serve.
And voilà… your baked trofie with turmeric cream are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from FeFe’s Kitchen!
